Dodgers Team News

Dodgers-Marlins Preview: Fife Makes 2014 Debut Against Jose Fernandez

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The Los Angeles Dodgers are coming off yet another extra-innings game, but unlike most of the team’s extra-innings games so far this season, the Dodgers were triumphant in 11 innings thanks to a go-ahead home run from Carl Crawford. With so many long games recently, the Dodgers have worn themselves down and look to regroup in the series finale against the Miami Marlins today.

In accommodating Hyun-Jin Ryu’s recent move to the disabled list, the organization made yet another roster move. The team has optioned reliever Jose Dominguez in order to make room for Stephen Fife. The 27-year-old starter will take the mound today, and it comes as no surprise that Dominguez was sent down as he is currently sporting a 11.37 ERA over 6.1 innings.



Fife has experience on the big league stage that other starters currently in Triple-A do not. In 2013, the right-hander made 10 starts for the Dodgers and racked up a solid 3.86 ERA. The starter didn’t see much time during spring training this year, and in just four starts with Albuquerque so far, Fife is 1-2 with an inflated 7.08 ERA.

On the mound for the Marlins is the NL Rookie of the Year, Jose Fernandez. Although Fife trumps his opposing starter in age, he may not be so superior in regards to success in the majors. The 21-year-old right-hander has been a force to be reckoned with since day one with the Marlins. In six starts on the season so far, Fernandez is 4-1 with a 1.59 ERA. In one of those starts, he gave up six earned runs. In the other five starts, he has given up zero runs.

The match up of today’s starters may seem a little unbalanced, and the Dodgers are in for a challenge against the dominant starter. In yesterday’s game, the production at the plate was impressive. With home runs from Yasiel Puig and Crawford, along with Dee Gordon going 5-for-6, the Dodgers offense looked more dominant than it typically has been on the season so far.

Mattingly trots out essentially the same lineup from yesterday, except that Crawford is starting in place of Andre Ethier and Drew Butera gets the nod behind the plate. Crawford could be starting because of his past success against Fernandez, going 3-for-5 against him last season. Fellow starter Juan Uribe was even better against the Cuban pitcher, hitting four times in four chances. The offense will look for Gordon and Puig to continue their damage at the top of the order.

Garrett Jones is the only Miami player with any experience against Fife and it isn’t much, as he is 0-for-3 in the small sample size.

Dodgers lineup:

2B Gordon
RF Puig
SS Ramirez
1B Gonzalez
CF Kemp
LF Crawford
3B Uribe
C Butera
P Fife

Marlins lineup:

LF Yelich
2B Dietrich
RF Stanton
3B McGehee
C Saltalamacchia
1B Jones
CF Ozuna
SS Hechavarria
P Fernandez

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